Zanzibar, Tanzania-6-day-itinerary

The tortoises on Prison Island are not native, and they are not a small detail, they were shipped in from Seychelles in 1919 as a gift, and some of the current Aldabra giants there are pushing 150 years old. That’s the actual draw, not dolphins, which you will not see on that particular excursion no matter what an old brochure told you. Six days in Zanzibar works best if you accept early that this is a beach and history trip, not a wildlife safari, and pace yourself accordingly.

Day 1: Arrival and relaxation in Stone Town

Land at Abeid Amani Karume International and arrange your transfer in advance through your hotel rather than negotiating with a driver at arrivals; a legitimate taxi into Stone Town runs about 15 to 20 dollars for the short 15-minute hop. Check into a Stone Town guesthouse in the old quarter itself rather than a chain hotel further out, since the point of the first day is walking distance to everything. Spend the afternoon in the maze of alleys, the House of Wonders (still partially under restoration after a 2020 partial collapse, so check current access before counting on the interior), and the carved wooden doors that give the old town its texture. In the evening, Forodhani Gardens turns into a night food market on the waterfront, Zanzibar pizza and grilled octopus skewers cooked right in front of you, and it’s a better dinner than most sit-down restaurants at a fraction of the price. If you want a proper table instead, Lukmaan Restaurant a few streets back does an enormous local buffet of curries, pilau, and octopus salad that puts the tourist-facing menus to shame.

Day 2: Prison Island and beach time

The boat over to Changuu, better known as Prison Island, takes about 20 minutes from Stone Town’s waterfront. The island’s actual prison building was never used to hold prisoners; it became a quarantine station instead, and today the giant tortoises are the entire reason to visit, not the ruined cells. Entrance runs somewhere between 4 and 12 dollars depending on which boat operator you book through, plus a small extra fee if you want to feed the tortoises. Snorkeling just offshore is decent but not the best in Zanzibar, so don’t oversell it to yourself. Back in Stone Town by afternoon, the Old Fort, Ngome Kongwe, is a 17th century Omani fortification with sea views and a small amphitheater that hosts events; worth 30 minutes on your way past. For dinner, Emerson on Hurumzi does a rooftop Swahili set menu with live taarab music that’s worth booking a day ahead.

Day 3: Nungwi Beach and sunset

The drive north to Nungwi takes about an hour and a half by shared taxi or private transfer, longer than most guides admit, so leave early. Nungwi’s water is calmer and clearer than most of the east coast because it sits outside the tidal swing that empties other Zanzibar beaches at low tide, which is the real reason people rave about it. Spend the day swimming and snorkeling, then book a sunset dhow cruise, but vet the operator first, since cheap dhow trips here are notorious for overcrowded boats with no safety gear and a snorkel stop over a dead reef. Pay slightly more for a company with actual reviews. For dinner, if you can get out to The Rock, the restaurant built on a coral outcrop reachable only by a short free boat shuttle at high tide or a walk at low tide, do it once; it’s touristy and not cheap, but the setting alone justifies a single splurge dinner.

Day 4: Mnemba Island and snorkeling

Mnemba is a private atoll off the northeast coast and the best snorkeling in Zanzibar by a wide margin, coral walls and a real chance at spotting turtles and reef sharks in clear water. Access is by boat from Matemwe or Nungwi and typically bundled into a half or full-day snorkel tour rather than sold as a simple entrance ticket, so book through your hotel or a vetted operator rather than a beach tout. Bring reef-safe sunscreen; the marine park rules here are enforced more consistently than most other spots on the island.

Day 5: Stone Town shopping and nightlife

Back in Stone Town, spend the morning at the Spice Market and resist the unofficial guides who attach themselves to you near the entrance promising a free tour; they’ll walk you to specific shops for a commission and then demand a fee you never agreed to. A polite, repeated no works fine. The narrow lanes behind the market are full of small woodworking and textile shops where prices are genuinely negotiable, unlike the fixed-price tourist stalls near the waterfront. In the evening, Stone Town’s bar scene is low-key by regional standards but a rooftop sundowner is easy to find, and Zeeshan Restaurant remains a solid, unpretentious choice for a final proper Zanzibari meal before your last day.

Day 6: Departure

Use the morning for anything missed, a last spice tea, a final walk through the old fort area, then arrange your transfer back to the airport with the same advance booking approach as day one. Build in more buffer than you think you need; Stone Town traffic near flight time is unpredictable.

Transportation

Dala-dalas, the local minibuses, cost next to nothing, a few hundred shillings a ride, but they run packed with no seatbelts and no fixed schedule, and pickpocketing risk rises with the crowding. Fine for a short local hop if you’re traveling light, not something to rely on for an airport transfer or a trip carrying valuables. Taxis and pre-arranged transfers are the more sensible choice for anything time-sensitive or longer distance.

Tips

Don’t drink tap water; bottled or filtered only, including for brushing teeth if you’re being careful. Dress modestly away from resort beaches, particularly in Stone Town and rural villages, and always ask before photographing people. Haggling is expected in the markets, but exchange money at a bank or official bureau rather than a street changer, since quick-counting shortchange scams are common with informal money changers.

Other things to know

June through September is the reliable dry season and the best weather window; the long rains typically hit April and May hard enough to disrupt outdoor plans, so avoid that stretch if you can. Zanzibar runs noticeably more expensive than mainland Tanzania, and that gap is real, not a myth, but the beaches and the density of history in Stone Town justify it. Try Urojo, the tangy Zanzibari soup sold at street stalls, alongside the more famous Zanzibar pizza, a stuffed savory crepe that has nothing to do with Italian pizza and everything to do with late-night street food done right.

If I had to cut one day from this itinerary to add elsewhere, it would be day 5’s shopping morning, since the spice market experience is enjoyable but skippable, and that time is better spent adding a half day to Mnemba, which is the actual highlight of the trip.